The next day, as promised, she didn't continue ignoring him. Yun nga lang, because of that stupid text, she had no choice but to endure his endless teasing and pasakalye. Iniisip nga niya kung makakausap pa ba siya nito kapag ipinarinig niya ang recorded phone conversation nila the other day. Baka lamunin ito ng lupa sa hiya.

Aubrey kept on giving her a knowing look, but she was holding her tongue dahil maayos na ulit ang pagtrato niya kay Hans. It wasn't until Friday that the teasing stopped, because of an announcement.

Next Friday, there will be a fundraising event. Tuwing November iyon ginagawa. Bidding. Each department will present two candidates for the auction. A guy and a girl. Winners will get a chance to date the person they won on the auction. One night lang, during the November Nightmare Party the following day.

Awtomatikong napatingin ang mga kaklase niya sa kanila ni Hans. Magkatabi kasi sila.

The prof smiled. "Gusto nyong sumali?" tanong nito sa kanila.

Agad siyang umiling.

"Ayoko po," pagtanggi niya. "Si Hans na lang."

"Ayoko rin!" sabi naman nito.

"Dapat kahit isa man lang sa inyo. Sikat kasi kayo e."

"Ikaw na lang," Hans told her. "I'll just bid for you."

"Ayoko nga. Ikaw na lang."

She looked at Aubrey for help. Naintindihan naman nito agad ang tingin niya.

"Oo nga, Hans," sabat nito. "For sure mas maraming magbi-bid sa 'yo."

Humalukipkip si Hans at sumimangot. "Ayoko."

Aubrey sighed. "Ikaw na nga lang, Iya. Marami rin namang guys ang magbi-bid sa 'yo e."

"Oo nga," sabat ng isa niyang kaklase. "Yung mga ka-team ko sa basketball, crush ka e."

"I'll just bid higher than those guys," Hanson told them.

Natatawang umiling ang prof nila. "Hindi yan pwede. Bawal mag-bid sa kaklase."

They both scowled. Kailangan niyang mapapayag si Hans na ito na lamang ang sumali, para hindi siya mapilitan.

"Sumali ka na kasi, Hans. Sige ka, kapag nainis sa 'yo si Iya, baka hindi ka sagutin nyan," banta ni Aubrey. She saw her classmates exchange knowing looks. Kahit ang prof nila ay mukhang pabor sa nangyayari. In the end, napilitan na rin si Hans na pumayag.

"This is blackmail," naiiling nitong sabi.

"O, ngayon alam mo na ang feeling."

--

Although Hans already agreed that he'd join the auction, he still managed to squeeze in a few conditions in exchange. Una, magdi-date sila this Saturday, after class. Then, on Sunday, ipakikilala raw siya nito sa daddy nito. Madali nyang natanggap yung una, pero yung pangalawa, medyo nag-alangan siya.

"Bakit hindi na lang nya ako inayang maging girlfriend nya? Hindi ba't mas madali yun?" tanong niya kay Aubrey.

"He doesn't want to screw this up, because he's in love with you for real," nakangiti nitong sagot.

She tried so hard to stop herself from smiling, but failed. "I'm so lucky, aren't I?"

"Oo," pagsang-ayon nito. "Kaya sagutin mo na sya, utang na loob. Ako na ang sumusuko sa kakornihan nya!"

--

Iya had to ask her father to allow her to date Hans, saying that this is for a fundraising event, which will need him as an 'item' that her schoolmates could bid on. She went on and blabbered how he had no choice and she just accepted the date invite as consolation.

"It's okay. You can go."

She gaped at her father. Sinipat niya ang noo nito. "Pa, may sakit ka?"

Tumawa ito saka tinanggal ang inalis ang palad niya.

"Nagpaalam na sya sa 'kin kanina. It's okay."

"Hindi nga?"

"Oo nga, Iya. Ang kulit mo."

"Bakit pumayag ka agad?" taka niyang tanong.

"Because he asked nicely."

She frowned. "I don't buy it. Did he bribe you with anything?"

Her dad rolled his eyes. "Look, if you don't want to go to your date, then just cancel with him. Ako, okay lang sa akin kahit ano'ng mapagdesisyunan mo."

But of course, she wouldn't cancel. Gusto nya rin naman. Saka baka mag-backout si Hans sa auction, sya pa ang masisi ng mga kaklase niya.

The next day, since may klase, hindi na siya nag-ayos ng sobra. Kung ano yung pang-araw-araw niyang attire, yun na lang din ang sinuot nya. Hans did the same. Kung ano yung usual getup nito, yun na lang din ang sinuot nito.

Yun nga lang, hindi sila nakaligtas sa tuksuan nang mapansin ng mga kaklaseng pareho silang naka-stripes.

"Uyyy, nag-usap?" tudyo ng isa.

"May date kasi sila mamaya," pangga-gatong naman ni Aubrey.

Hans was in a good mood. He even joined the teasing.

Mabilis na lumipas ang tatlong oras nilang klase. Pagka-dismiss sa kanila ay agad silang pumunta sa sasakyan nito dahil malayo-layo raw ang pupuntahan nila. She didn't bother asking. Sinabi naman kasi nito na ipinagpaalam siya nito sa daddy niya. Okay lang na gabihin, huwag lang umagahin. May klase pa sya the next day.

Sa bandang north sila pumunta, sa isang restaurant na nakatayo sa may bangin. It was a bit cold and she was thankful na naka-long sleeves sya.

"Kakain lang, nagpakalayo-layo pa tayo," puna niya.

"Hindi kasi tayo kakain lang. It's a date, remember?"

"Whatever you say," she said with a shrug.

The place was a bit rustic. Naka-ordinaryong damit ang mga waiter. Open area ang kitchen at kita yung bawat galaw ng nagluluto. Her dad would surely love it here.

"They serve exotic food too. Gusto mong subukan?" tanong ni Hans.

She looked at the menu, isang kulay brown na papel na may nakasulat na pagkain at price sa gilid. Laminated ito.

"Adobong sawa? Ginataang bayawak?"

"Masarap din yung pritong palaka nila."

She grimaced. "Dun na lang ako sa normal na pagkain."

"Aww... what happened to your adventurous spirit?"

"Pangalan pa lang, natatakot na 'ko."

"Ako rin naman e. Noong una. But then, I took the risk and it turned out to be wonderful," he said with a smile. She had a feeling that he wasn't talking about the food anymore.

"Fine. You choose. Titikim na lang ako."

"Okay."

--

The food was great. Sabi ni Hans, farm fresh daw lahat ng sini-serve doon. Hindi kalayuan sa restaurant ay may isang farm. Doon kinukuha ang mga ingredients for the menu. The tinolang manok was suckling. Manok na Tagalog kasi ang ginamit. Kakakatay lang.

Okay rin ang lasa ng adobong sawa though hindi niya dinamihan ang kain dahil mabuto. They even serve tempura leaves. Nakalimutan niya kung ano yung dahon.

Pagkatapos nilang kumain, nagpunta naman sila sa isang kapehan sa hindi kalayuan. Hans told her that after eating at the restaurant, people usually go there to drink coffee. It has the same rustic feel to it. Hindi ito kagaya ng Starbucks o iba pang kapehan sa Maynila. Dalawang matanda ang may-ari ng lugar and they roast and brew the coffee beans themselves.

Fresh coffee rin ang sinerve ng mga ito sa kanila.

The old lady asked them something in a dialect that she could not understand. She was surprised when Hans answered using the same dialect. Tumango ang matanda at saka ito bumalik sa counter.

"My family used to come here a lot when I was a kid," he explained when she asked why he knew how to speak their dialect.

"Do you miss your dad?" she asked, our of the blue.

Hans shrugged. "Minsan."

Mukhang ayaw na nitong ipagpatuloy ang usapan kaya nanahimik na lamang sya. When the old lady came back, may dala itong pastries na nasa maliit na platito.

Hans thanked the old lady. Nginitian naman niya ito.

"Kakakain lang natin."

"Hindi naman mabigat sa tiyan 'yan," sabi nito. "Kain ka na. It's free."

"Free? Why?"

"Ewan. They give me this every time na pupunta ako rito. And it's always free."

He took a bite. May creamy filling sa loob ng pastry. Saka parang may straberry chunks din. Kumuha siya ng isa at tumikim. Parang cream puffs lang pero yung filling, may buo-buong strawberries. Kagagawa lang din noon dahil mainit-init pa.

"Nasunog 'to dati," kwento ni Hans. "Buti na lang wala sina lola rito nung time na yun. Nung bumalik kami, walang natira rito kundi puro sunog na kahoy. My mom asked the locals kung saan nakatira yung dalawang matanda. We went there and she told them that she will help restore the place."

"Ang bait naman ng mommy mo."

He smiled. "Alam nya kasing paborito ko rito."

"Maybe that's why binigyan ka nila nito ng libre," she told him, raising the cream-puff.

"Pinipilit nga nilang libre lahat ng oorderin namin dito, pero hindi pumayag si dad. This place meant everything to them. It meant a lot to us too. Just to see it still standing and to see them happily serving coffees are enough payment."

"So your parents didn't ask for payment?"

He shook his head. "My mom said that it would be like stealing from the old folks."

Nagkwento pa ito habang umiinom sila ng kape at kumakain ng Taplan, the cream-puffs-like pastries. Bago sila umuwi, lumapit ulit sa kanila ang dalawang matanda. Niyakap siya ng lola at may sinabi itong hindi naman niya naintindihan.

"Ang ganda mo raw," Hans translated.

--

They got home before eleven. Her dad was waiting for her at the door. Bago umalis si Hans ay nag-usap muna ang dalawa.

Kinabukasan, pagkatapos ng NSTP ay sinundo siya ni Hans sa school. She didn't want to go, dahil pawis na pawis siya. She will meet his dad, for chrissake!

But Hans just told her to relax, said that his dad wouldn't make it in time and asked to re-schedule.

"Next Sunday na lang daw," sabi nito sa kanya.

"A, okay. Saan naman tayo pupunta ngayon?"

"Manunuod ng sine."

"Tinatamad ako."

"Ano'ng gusto mong gawin?"

"Gusto kong matulog," sagot niya. Halos kalahati ng school ang pinawalisan sa kanila kanina. Pagod na pagod siya.

"Sige, sa penthouse na lang tayo. Dun ka na lang matulog."

She scowled. "Nah! Ayoko."

"Wala naman akong gagawing masama sa 'yo e," depensa ni Hans.

"Hindi yun. Gusto ko lang matulog sa sarili kong kwarto."

"Ayaw mo lang yata akong kasama e."

She rolled her eyes. There he goes again with his assumptions.

"Kung gusto mo, tumambay ka na lang sa bahay," aya niya rito.

His crestfallen face quickly lightened up. Ang bipolar din talaga ni Hans minsan. Kanina lang malungkot ito, tapos biglang tuwa.

"Natuwa ka na dun?" hindi niya napigilang itanong.

"I don't care about the place, as long as I'm with you, anywhere's fine."